Zhihua Temple 智化寺

Zhihua Temple, an oasis of quiet courtyards and exquisite Buddhist artwork in the heart of the Central Business District, was built by the corrupt eunuch Wang Zhen in 1443 as his personal ancestral hall, but was later converted to a temple. Today, it’s one of Beijing’s finest examples of Ming Buddhist architecture and holds regular performances of Ming-era court and Buddhist music. The finely-carved revolving sutra cabinet is the only one of its kind in Beijing, and a reported 9,999 Buddha statuettes decorate the Tathagata Hall.